A record number of Swansea voters are planning to have their say by post in next month’s General elections.
More than 29,000 residents will be making their preferred choice of MP from the comfort of home rather than voting in person at a polling station.
On May 6, 183,242 people in Swansea will, if they have registered to vote, have the chance to vote on who they want to be their MP and influence who will be Prime Minister. Swansea has three parliamentary constituencies.
Swansea Council has worked hard over a number of years to increase the number of those people opting to vote by post as a way of increasing turnouts at elections.
At the last General Election in 2005, 24,000 people opted to vote by post compared to only 6,000 in the 2001 General Election. This time 29,130 have asked to vote by post.
Postal vote packs have already gone out and anyone who has opted to vote by post who has not had their pack is being advised to get in touch with Swansea Council’s elections office. If they have spoilt their vote by filling it in incorrectly, for example, they should also get in touch.
Postal voters have until 10pm on the day of the election to send back their vote although most postal voters usually send back their ballot papers in advance.
Swansea Council will have more than 180 staff counting postal votes during the election.
Amanda Bebb, Swansea Council’s Electoral Registration Officer, said: “We welcome another increase in applications and hope it will mean more people will exercise their right to vote in these elections.
“Postal voters receive a postal vote pack which includes a ballot paper, instructions and a postal vote statement.
“The elector has to provide their date of birth and their normal signature on the Postal Vote Statement.
“The ballot paper will be completed in the normal way and then sealed in envelope A which is part of the Postal Vote Statement.
“This postal vote statement should then be folded and placed into envelope B which is returned back to the Civic Centre, or it can be dropped off at any polling station in the City and County of Swansea.”
Anyone needing more information on postal voting should contact the elections office on 01792 636042 or 01792 636719.
